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KAIMH Connections
Resources for Early Childhood Mental Health Advocates
Updates | September 2025
Highlights in this newsletter include application information for a family child care focused learning collaborative, Be Well, Teach Well, a free Conscious Discipline training opportunity, autism resources for families and professionals, upcoming professional development, and more!
Endorsement Application Support
September 9: Open Office Hours (Join meeting to ask questions or get support on your application) 6-7 PM
September 16: Orientation to Endorsement (30 minute presentation followed by Q/A Time) 12-1 PM
September 23: Open Office Hours (Join meeting to ask questions or get support on your application) 9:30-10:30 AM
September 30: Open Office Hours (Join meeting to ask questions or get support on your application) 12-1 pm
Please register by 5pm the evening before, all sessions are free.
Kelsea says, "I have been working for Infant Toddler Services of Johnson County for the past two years as an Early Intervention Nurse. I wanted to get my Infant Mental Health Endorsement so I can better support families as I work alongside them during the birth-three years. I know how crucial brain development is for the child during this time of their life, including their social and emotional development, and I want to make sure I am doing all I can to support the child’s mental health needs as I work with families in my community."
Be Well, Teach Well Applications are Open!
KAIMH is excited to announce the launch of an 8-month learning collaborative for family child care providers focused on building resiliency through self-care, titled, “Be Well, Teach Well.” This program is available to individuals who operate a licensed family child care program within in Kansas. In this collaborative we will learn strategies for managing stress, protecting self-care, and effectively building your resiliency. Participants will receive a self-study guide/workbook as well as monthly stipends ($100) for participation. Slots are limited, so please only apply if you are prepared to commit to attend and participate in the monthly meetings. There will be two, two-hour meeting options every month (from October through May) on the 3rd Tuesday and Thursday evenings, but you are only required to attend one meeting per month. All meetings will be conducted virtually through the Zoom platform. Access to a computer or tablet is strongly encouraged as well as a working, regularly monitored email. Because self-care is highly valued in this project, we ask that all participants arrange to join from a location that allows for your privacy and full focus (no environmental distractions).
KAIMH is accepting applications through September 20, 2025. Applicants will be notified via email by October 3rd. If you have any questions, please contact Marie Treichel at marie@kaimh.org.
Free Conscious Discipline Training!
KAIMH is offering a free professional development opportunity for Early Childhood Professionals! This includes access to the online Conscious Discipline course, Powers of Resilience: SEL for Adults, a printable workbook, and two group learning sessions to practice deeper reflection, insights and ideas for immediate implementation in your work and life.
The Seven Powers of Conscious Discipline help you develop your inner resources and create purposeful positive change in your life. Through this course, you’ll become aware of the mental models, limiting beliefs, unconscious biases and intentions that drive your feelings and behaviors. With consciousness comes the opportunity to choose differently and make lasting changes in your life and the lives you touch. In this new e-course from Dr. Becky Bailey, the first Social Emotional Learning for Adults course of its kind, you’ll learn how to live a life that reflects your values and vision, creating the home or school culture and community that you truly want to see. In turn, you’ll pass healthy beliefs and behaviors on to future generations. Across 9 sessions, Dr. Becky Bailey leads video training on the Powers of Conscious Discipline, which are rooted in neuroscience and consciousness. Access to the videos will open on October 1, 2025. This course is approved for 4 hours of KDHE approved in-service for those that also attend two virtual learning sessions with KAIMH, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 6th and Thursday, Dec. 4th from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. For any questions, please contact Marie Treichel at marie@kaimh.org. Applicants will be notified by September 25th.
Rx Kids is the country’s first universal and unconditional cash prescription program for pregnant people and infants. It is available in Michigan and has bipartisan support to provide financial assistance to every eligible family within three geographic areas: Kalamazoo, Pontiac and the Eastern Upper Peninsula. There are no income requirements, no strings attached. Families receive a one-time $1,500 payment during pregnancy and $500 per month for a designated length of time that varies from six to 12 months during the baby’s first year of life. Rx Kids aims to impact income instability that can directly disrupt infant development. “Parents are using the money for car repairs, rent, prenatal appointments. One family was able to pay ahead on bills so mom could stay home longer with the baby. That reduces stress and translates into more bonding, more time reading, more responsive caregiving.”
Click below to read more about this exciting program!
Autism Navigator is a collection of web-based tools- including free courses, micro learning (bite-size learning nuggets to focus on specific questions), webinars, and video footage to connect families and professionals with resources to educate them on the autism spectrum disorder. Registration is simple and the information is easy to access anytime from anywhere. Courses and webinars include Coaching Families of Young Children with ASD Using the Early Social Interaction (ESI) Model, Social Communication Development in Infants & Toddlers, and more. Click here to learn more about this great resource!
Curbing Preschool Expulsion
Through a state-funded initiative, Ohio PROMISE, offers free online training for child care workers on educating children with disabilities. Training includes everything from the benefits of kids of all abilities learning and playing together to the kinds of classroom materials most helpful to have on hand. It also offers as-needed mentorship and support from trained coaches across the state. This model teaches early educators on how to expand their capacity to serve young children with disabilities. Data shows there are more than 2 million U.S. children age 5 or below who have a disability or developmental delay. One goal of the new efforts is to reduce the number of young children with disabilities who are expelled from or pushed out of care. Those children are frequently asked to leave for behaviors related to their disability. Click below to read more.
Check out these upcoming professional development opportunities that support your Infant Mental Health Endorsement® from the Early Childhood Investigations Webinars, Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities, Kansas LEND, Kansas Children's Service League, and Child Care Aware network.
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